Site Search Navigation

Site Navigation

Site Mobile Navigation

Are They Going to Make My Wife Cry, Too?

By Paul B. Brown March 30, 2007 8:53 amMarch 30, 2007 8:53 am

I like my mother-in-law. Honest.

But the only way to explain how I felt about Alison falling in love with another architectural firm is to tell a mother-in-law joke. So, with sincere apologies to my mother-in-law, Jean Davis, here goes:

And ambivalent was exactly how I felt as Alison showed me all the cool houses she found on the Allison Ramsey Web site.

The good news was that just like my wife, I liked the designs that popped up when I tooled around the site. The houses the firm designed looked comfortable both inside — where the rooms tended to be a good size, but not huge — and out.

The bad news was the firm was not exactly undiscovered. True, it was off the beaten path in Beaufort, S.C. (about halfway between Savannah, Ga., and Charleston), but it had won a bunch of awards, and as my wife pointed out last time, the firm had designed an HGTV dream house. And its work was constantly being featured in magazines like Southern Living.

In short, it sounded eerily similar to the firm we visited in Tampa, the one that was just too pricey for us.

That firm had been responsible, in part, for making my wife cry. And I didn’t want to go down the same unhappy road twice.

But the women in my life (Alison and daughter Shannon) have made it painfully clear that they think I am overly protective. (Guilty, as charged.) And my wife is a big girl. If she was willing to risk being disappointed again, I couldn’t think of any reason (other than being overly protective) to say no.

“I can’t say that I’ve always wanted to see Beaufort, S.C.,” I told Alison. “But give them a call and let’s see what happens.”

Oh really? When you look at all of these glossy photos of architecture, you are looking at something that is the summation of a lot of hard work and specialized expertise. (As you are beginning to realize – when you say “eerily similar”, I gather). The architect was charging for this expertise. At the moment, you have demanding expectations, and a limited budget that does not allow for that particular kind of professional expertise. These issues cannot of course be solved by one meeting. My advice would be to talk frankly with another architect who does more modest work for modest budgets, and try not to weep when the elevator and ‘oodles of bathrooms” can’t be done just yet. If you really are looking for an architect to fit into your budget, you must be prepared to realize that your wish list must too.

Hopefully the tears will end soon. “Home” is more than a place and that can be very emotional.

Have you thought about contacting the builders of the magazine dream homes to get their advice? I worked on the design and drawings for the Palm Garden Retreat and now work as the architect for the builder of the Idea House. There tends to be some economy when the two professions work together in the design and construction phases.

I am concerned about your estimated cost per square foot. Construction in a coastal area has a lot more requirements than homes you find up north. Also, keep in mind that it is more than just a good plan and elevation that make a standard home into a “dream home”. There are additional trim details, nice finishes, and expensive porches. All these things will increase the budget, but give you a unique home that you want.

Stock plans are often a good starting point, but they probably will need quite a few modifications to be built in Florida. It is possible to find quality, talented people to do your work at a variety of fee levels, but be careful not to pick by fee alone or you will get what you pay for.

this is starting to feel like torture… did you pick an architect? which one? and, as nice as these homes seem (from the pictures), what is unique about them that you like? they look to me to be carbon copies of homes up and down the east coast.

What's Next

About

They've found an idyllic tiny town in Florida, they've bought a piece of land and now Paul B. Brown and Alison Davis are setting out to build their dream house. How hard can it be, they wonder, even though they live 1,500 miles away, they've never built a home before and they don't know anything about architects, builders, local zoning laws or financing? On this blog for Great Homes, they recount their successes and failures and will chronicle their adventures to come.